Guided by her indomitable inner compass, Maria Taylor moved home to Birmingham, AL, last year, back to her family and to the South, which has always greatly influenced her music. With a distinct, raw sound in mind, Taylor self-produced for the first time and called upon friend and neighbor Lester Nuby III (Verbena, Vulture Whale) to engineer Overlook. She sought to capture the sound of the South, of Alabama and its music scene, enlisting a host of local musicians to flesh out the album. The sessions ran loose and easy, with family and friends often stopping in and spending time as she recorded.
Much of Overlook is about the searching and uncertainties that come with growing up and growing older. The songs vary in sound from alluringly bold and immediate to softer contemplation. All throughout, Taylor's voice is illuminating, drawing listeners in with its warm and resolute yet vulnerable grace.